When it comes to heat, there’s a lot of buzz around the compound capsaicin, responsible for the heat in chilies and many spicy products enjoyed at home and in restaurants. When I was asked to think about creating flavorful heat from a source other than capsicum, I landed on wasabi. Inspired by its frequent use in Japanese cuisine, the isothiocyanate from wasabi delivers varying sensations of heat, like the capsaicin in peppers.
So, I set off to create a Honey Wasabi Seasoning, stemming from the popular sushi trend of wasabi and rice. The seasoning blend was built upon a base of savory seasonings (Flavor Cap Soy Sauce and Flavor Cap Mustard) delivering a wave of wasabi in the forefront, rounded out by sweet brown honey (Flavor Cap Honey) on the background. Together, they deliver a balanced bite that will hit your nostrils, but not the back of your throat.
I love this profile with rice and almond crackers, but also envision it going in many different directions - nuts, chips, even meat snacks. Or consider global flavors, using wasabi in place of chilies in Latin blends, like a lime and wasabi seasoning for a tortilla!
Feeling inspired? To deliver a honey wasabi profile to your applications, get in touch with McCormick today.
